[TTPA] Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising

These are the each plays a key role in shaping digital rights, data protection, media freedom, and political advertising (in particular around elections).

Available: EUR-Lex (in English)
Adopted: 2016
Effective: 25 May 2018
Scope: Applies across the EU and to any organization processing EU citizens' data
Purpose: Protects individuals’ personal data and privacy
Key Features:
- Requires explicit consent for data collection
- Grants rights like data access, correction, erasure ("right to be forgotten")
- Imposes strict rules on data processing, storage, and transfer
- Heavy penalties for non-compliance (up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover)

#DSA – Digital Services Act

Available: EUR-Lex (in English), infovolby.sk (v slovenčine)
Adopted: 2022
Effective: August 2023 (for very large online platforms), full application from 17 February 2024
Scope: Applies to online platforms, especially very large online platforms (VLOPs) and search engines
Purpose: Regulates digital platforms to ensure safer online environments
Key Features:
- Requires platforms to remove illegal content quickly
- Increases transparency of algorithms and ads
- Introduces risk assessments for systemic harms (e.g., disinformation)
- Strengthens user rights and platform accountability

#EMFA – European Media Freedom Act

Available: EUR-Lex (in English), infovolby.sk (v slovenčine)
Adopted: 2024
Effective: 8 August 2025
Scope: Applies to all EU member states and media service providers
Purpose: Protects media freedom, pluralism, and editorial independence
Key Features:
- Prevents political interference in public service media
- Ensures transparent ownership of media outlets
- Regulates state advertising to prevent favoritism
- Establishes the European Board for Media Services to monitor compliance

#TTPA – Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising

Available: EUR-Lex (in English), infovolby.sk (v slovenčine)
Adopted: 2024
Effective: 10 October 2025

#WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE TTPA?

As provided by the official EU summary, Regulation (EU) 2024/900 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising (TTPA) aims to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market for political advertising and to support open and fair political debate. The regulation addresses the concerns related to information manipulation and foreign interference in elections, along with the processing of personal data for political advertising purposes.

#KEY POINTS

#Objectives

The regulation is designed to ensure EU citizens are better placed to make informed choices in elections by:
- making it easier for them to recognise political advertisements;
- helping them understand who is behind them;
- allowing them to know whether they have received a targeted advertisement.
It will also ensure that political advertising respects the right to the protection of personal data and will protect freedom of opinion and freedom of speech, as provided for under the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The regulation builds on existing EU law, particularly the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation - Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, see summary) and the DSA (Digital Services Act -Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 on a Single Market For Digital Services, see summary).

#Scope

The rules cover the transparency and targeting of political advertising by, for or on behalf of a political actor. They also cover any such advertising that is liable and designed to influence the outcome of an election or referendum, voting behaviour or a legislative or regulatory process. These rules are applicable at the EU, national, regional and local levels.
The obligations do not affect the content of political advertisements nor other aspects of political advertising, such as the conduct of political campaigns, which are governed by national rules.
Content under editorial responsibility and views expressed in a personal capacity are not covered.

#Main elements

Political advertising must be clearly labelled as such and include information on who paid for it, to which election, referendum, legislative or regulatory process it is linked and whether targeting or ad-delivery techniques have been used.
Additional information providing a wider context for the political advertisement, such as information on the aggregated amounts or their origin, is provided in the transparency notice that must be included in each political advertisement or be easily retrievable from it.
Targeting or ad delivery of political advertising online is only permitted under strict conditions:
- the data have to be collected from the data subject;
- the data can be used only if the data subject has given explicit and separate consent for their use for political advertising;
- the personal data of minors cannot be used;
- special categories of personal data, such as data revealing racial or ethnic origin or political opinions, cannot be used for profiling;
- the use of personal data pertaining to a data subject who is at least 1 year under the voting age established by national rules is prohibited.
All online adverts will be available in an online European repository.
A ban is imposed on political advertising coming from sponsors from outside the EU in the 3 months leading up to an election or referendum.

#FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

With certain exceptions, the regulation will apply from 10 October 2025.

#BACKGROUND

For further information, see Democracy and electoral rights (European Commission)

Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 4 July 2023. Meta Platforms Inc and Others v Bundeskartellamt. Request for a preliminary ruling from the Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf. Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Social networks – Abuse of a dominant position by the operator of such a network – Abuse which entails the processing of the personal data of the users of that network as provided for in its general terms of use – Powers of a competition authority of a Member State to find that processing is not consistent with that regulation – Reconciliation with the powers of the national data protection supervisory authorities – Article 4(3) TEU – Principle of sincere cooperation – Points (a) to (f) of the first subparagraph of Article 6(1) of Regulation 2016/679 – Whether the processing is lawful – Article 9(1) and (2) – Processing of special categories of personal data – Article 4(11) – Concept of consent. Case C-252/21.
Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act) (OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, pp. 1–102).
Code of Practice on Disinformation.
Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, pp. 39–98).
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, pp. 1–88).
Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union – Title I – Common provisions – Article 2 (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, p. 17).
Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union – Title II – Provisions on democratic principles – Article 10 (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, p. 20).
Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Part One – Principles – Title II – Provisions having general application – Article 16 (ex Article 286 TEC) (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, p. 55).
Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Part Three – Union policies and internal actions – Title VII – Common rules on competition, taxation and approximation of laws – Chapter 3 – Approximation of laws – Article 114 (ex Article 95 TEC) (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, pp. 94–95).
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (OJ C 202, 7.6.2016, pp. 389–405).

#WHAT IS GDPR, DSA, EMFA and TTPA?

#GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation